Conservatory Project Archive
Conservatory Project Archive
Town Investment Plan 2022, Original Early Stage Speculative Proposal
The conservatory is located in the prestigious Memorial Gardens within Centre Vale Park, a beautiful, formal rose garden that incorporates memorials to those fallen in the world wars.
The original conservatory has not been used for many years and is in need of a complete refurbishment. Doing so, will bring this wasted space back to its proper place as an important cultural and usable asset for Todmorden and providing a much-needed sustainable building for three key voluntary groups:-
- Todmorden in Bloom
- Friends of Centre Vale Park
- Todmorden Military Veterans Group
The collective aim of the Conservatory Group is to carry out sympathetic renovation of the conservatory using the original footprint but where feasible to include current environmentally secure methods to cut energy and water wastage.
The space will allow them to continue to work and complete projects within the town that further improve well-being for the community, whilst also incorporating a forward-thinking, practical community space that fulfils the needs of local groups or individuals by offering a unique environment at a nominal fee.
The group wish to use this opportunity for a base where they can improve people’s skills and understanding of woodland management, simple horticulture, seed bank storage and home growing, as well as techniques for environmental living.
The space will also provide opportunity for Veterans to meet and socialise in an area that enables peaceful reflection and provide opportunity for activities to help their mental well-being.
What is the proposal under the Town Deals Fund?
For the original early stage proposals for the Conservatory set out in the Town Investment Plan see here
To remove the wooden frame structure and replacement will involve extensive demolition works whereas repair of existing window frames is more environmentally friendly and a less expensive option to take forward.
Some slight change in footprint size to regularise the footprint may be necessary and will be considered as an option at tender preparation stage.
Should the budget permit this then there is also the option to include a Solar Panel scheme to assist with reducing carbon emissions and energy costs. Retention and refurbishment/repair of existing framed structure.
Is this fully funded under Town Deal?
No. As with all of the Centre Vale Park Projects under the Town Deal there is a gap in funding.
The projected cost for renovating/repairing the existing conservatory including internal partitioning works and upgrading of services been priced at c £157k of which £77k has initially allocated towards this from the Town Deal Fund leaving a shortfall of c£80k to be found from the Tennis Club and other grants.
Why is there a need for this?
All three partners in this scheme make valuable contribution to Todmorden yet none of them have any formal base of operation.
Collectively they wish to provide:-
a space for meetings and holding exhibitions, activity days, workshops and educational visits.
a purpose-built space for Veterans to develop skills and social interaction.
a greenhouse to help self-sufficiency.
home grown plants which would be used to improve neglected areas of the town. Thus, supporting the planting throughout the town.
additional usage for further groups outside of the initial three focussing on those linked to Horticulture, Heritage and Education and creating a multipurpose community space
to follow up on the park’s cultural history
improve people’s skills and understanding of woodland management, simple horticulture, seed bank storage and home growing, as well as techniques for environmental living
to work with community groups to provide exhibitions of local cultural and military history.
In addition, the group wish to support Health and Wellbeing through a variety of outdoor and inhouse activities to the town residents and even ore so given the recent impact of Covid on so many lives.
Will the reptile house and aviary area be introduced?
No. To do so would involve substantive extra cost, regulation and expertise not available within the group . It would also take up space that will be needed to deliver the aims and ambitions of the group.
What else will the project involve?
As with all of the Centre Vale Park Projects it is not just about delivering an element of physical new construction and or renovation , but how it will be sustained in the future, how it will be managed and what outputs are expected to be delivered that will benefit Todmorden residents.
Who will own the Conservatory once restored?
Todmorden Town Council has agreed “in principle” to assume ownership on completion of building works when it is anticipated that a 25 year lease will granted from Calderdale MBC by way of Community Asset Transfer.
Who will manage the Conservatory and all of its activities?
The Town Council in offering its support by way of delivering the construction nature of this project, and on completion, is looking to a new group to be established to jointly manage the operational and financial delivery and be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Conservatory.
Will Todmorden Town Council help to meet the Conservatory running costs?
Todmorden Town Council will initially, pending the group getting up and running and generating income from use of the Conservator, provide some revenue support.
The intention is for the group to become financially self-sufficient as soon as possible and through a Management agreement, a recharge arrangement put in place to reimburse Todmorden Town Council for such building related expenditure.
Why will Todmorden Town Council not run the Conservatory?
Todmorden Town Council does not run services direct that are usually provided by Calderdale MBC unless can done so at minimum risk and cost e.g the Wheelspark
It does not have expertise to do so and the cost of employing this resource and additional administration cost, plus providing cover within a small team would be substantial and require funding through an increase in taxpayers Precept charge.
In this instance Todmorden Town Council is acting as the bridge between Calderdale MBC and the community and users of the Conservatory .This “private and or community” sector bid was made for funding on the basis of voluntary ongoing management arrangements and the role of Todmorden Town Council is to try to make this all happen and then handover day to day responsibility.
The same approach will apply to all of the Centre Vale Project Groups in that Todmorden Town Council will only act in this facilitating and enabling role, not post construction delivery of services.
When will grant applications be made?
Todmorden Town Council has agreed to act as the grant applicant for this project.
Grant funders often apply specific conditions some of which could be that certain permissions must be in place already, formal designs completed, land already owned and other matched funding in place. Others are less restrictive.
Each Grant application will need to be considered on its qualifying criteria at the time of submission.
In this instance it is likely that any formal grant application will need to be made once a scheme has been decided upon, and possibly when proceeding at risk to obtain formal planning approval.
What are the next stages for the Conservatory project?
Approval of the Overall Business Case for Centre Vale Park Projects will trigger the formal next steps and start to determine the extent of Town Deals Funding available for this project.
Pending approval there are key areas to be progressed apart from seeking grant funding and they relate to:
Agreement with Calderdale MBC of lease terms for Community Asset Transfer
Understanding the need or not to obtain /Environment Agency agreement.
Seek Deed of Covenant approval from Environment agency
Obtain Fields in Trust “In Principle” approval
Formalising Management Agreements to take on operational and financial responsibility.
When will detailed drawings be prepared and Planning Permission applied for?
One of the major grant opportunities identified for funding of up to £100k requires the project to be “shovel ready” with all permissions in place.
Without funding agreed there is risk in taking the project to this stage given further costs that will be involved.
Timing will depend upon when the Business Case approval from Government is received but it is anticipated to commission these works by the end of January 2023 at the latest with then further grant funding sought once Planning Permission and all other permissions/agreements are in place.
When will detailed drawings be prepared and Planning Permission applied for?
One of the major grant opportunities identified for funding of up to £100k requires the project to be “shovel ready” with all permissions in place.
Without funding agreed there is risk in taking the project to this stage given further costs that will be involved.
Timing will depend upon when the Business Case approval from Government is received but it is anticipated to commission these works by the end of January 2023 at the latest with then further grant funding sought once Planning Permission and all other permissions/agreements are in place.
When would construction start?
We need to be realistic that just grant applications on their own can take several months to be processed and approved and even applied for only at certain times of the year. Whilst we are aiming to have grant support by March 2023 there are no guarantees on this.
Other permissions will also take time to be obtained and hence why we are starting on several of these already ahead of the formal Business Case approval.
In terms of construction the ambition is to be in a position to start construction by Feb 2024.
To do so we will need to be in a position to issue tenders for potential contractors to respond to by Sept/Oct 2023.
Is there a group in place to take this forward once the Conservatory has been restored?
Whilst each operational partner (Todmorden in Bloom ,Friends of Centre Vale Park and Todmorden Veterans Association), in the proposed group is already established there will be a need to formally establish a new group that is best able to represent the interests of the three partners.
What are the project timelines ?
These are all subject to funding availability and permissions where and as require but the Outline Project Plan is as detailed below:
